Reminiscing

Many years ago, I spent about 8 months traveling Europe (seemingly everywhere: France, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Italy, Spain, Austria, Greece, Holland, Ireland, England, Scotland, Luxembourgh, what used to be Czechoslovakia...) and living in London (5 of those months). It seems insane, looking back on it.

I decided to retrace some of my steps in London. I've lived in other countries, (Montreal/Canada, Bophuthatswana/Africa...) but I think it was because it was such an active time while I was in London that I have a particular attachment. I tried to total it up, and I concluded I have spent nearly two years outside of the United States (If I include trips to place like Japan, etc). I hadn't realized it had been that long.

Warning: Story time for those of you that are not easily bored:

On the last night of two months of traveling, I met a few Americans in a pub (one guy and two girls). Duane and I were scheduled to fly back to the States the next morning, but the guy, Peter, told me they needed one more guy to move into their flat. So, instead of getting on the plane, I decided to stay. Spur of the moment. No prospects. No job.


I moved into the basement flat here on Queensborough Terrace just north of Hyde Park. Not a pretty place. Tiny and dark, but it was home for a while.


Near the Queensway Underground station, there was a little joint that was open seemingly 24 hours a day, and I would get the best take away there. It was one of the only food places I went to with any frequency, but I am not sure if this was the name of the place back then. It looks like it.


About a week or two later, I stopped by Whitely's, which was close to the flat. There was a Books, Etc that I used to shop at and I needed some new books (I read a lot for fun back then - now it seems like I read mostly manuals and news. ugh). There was a girl behind the till (cash register) that was obviously an American, so I asked her how she got the job. She told me about the main office for Books, Etc and I went down and applied. I was lucky that they were about to open a new branch on High Holborn and they hired me to help set it up. I ended up with my own section (Computer Books) and cleaned and worked the till.


I hopped on the Tube to check it out (Queensway to Holborn on the Central Line). It was fun to take that same trip that I had taken so many times to and from work. I was a little surprised to find it was a pit when I got there. I took a few pics with my iPhone, purchased a couple books, including a new London mini AZ ("A to Zed").


I noticed there was a sign on the door. The Books, Etc was about to be taken over by a Waterstones. I believe Borders had already taken over the chain. I'm glad I got to see it again before it changed.


I walked around Hyde Park, like I used to do. Nice to be there, again. I walked for hours and hours. I found myself at Buckingham Palace and a bunch of other places. Including the Royal Albert Hall.


At the Royal Albert, I saw an amazing concert with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray and a bunch of others. As you would expect, it was a fantastic blues show.

I could go on and on, of course, but these are just some of the places I wandered near while hiking around central London since I've been here.

I thought I might as well share a few snapshots since I took a bunch while meandering around...